


Take Me Away From Here

by hydroxide (incantations)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Fantasy, Forest Spirit Luhan, M/M, Multiple Lives, Romance, Supernatural Elements, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-22 21:06:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13772565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incantations/pseuds/hydroxide
Summary: All because of a promise made between a fox and a boy, their lives intertwine through the years and far away. Alas, sometimes fate plays a cruel joke, separating them in one life, never meeting in another. Yet somehow, in the end it’ll always just be Sehun and Luhan who will end up loving each other in other lifetimes. .





	Take Me Away From Here

**Author's Note:**

> crossposting from my (now) abandoned livejournal hydroxyls! i hope you all enjoy because this is one of my favorite fics that i've written

A little fox spirit wakes up from the tremors of his name being called. Groggily, he sits up from his place on the moss covered ground. The early afternoon sun shines through the canopy of leaves. In a daze, trying to ignore the sleepy spell so that he could go along with his day, he tries to stand up, but his legs wobble from the amount of time that they haven’t been used. 

He makes a disgusted face when he feels his little shorts stained with water. Looking around, he notices that he’s a little bit far away from home. But there’s nothing to fear when it’s only the middle of the afternoon.

He hears his name again, and this time his furry ears twitch at the sound.

The echos of laughter are carried by the wind, along with the rustling of the leaves on the tree, and rushing water from the nearby river. The little mountain spirit can hear his name, but doesn’t know where the sound originated from. Scratching his head in irritation, he treks through the forest, passing by other little birds that greet him with a whistle, and other mountain spirits taking their daily nap.

For a moment, he’s blinded by the sun. He covers his eyes with his little arm, shielding it from the harmful rays before running along again. 

“Luhan! Hahaha~” There he hears it again, and this time he’s sure that it’s the rabbit spirit he calls his best friend, Yixing. Huffing out a large breathe of air, Luhan steps back for a moment before he takes off to run in the forest. 

Luhan, the fox spirit, has a little hunch where his best friend would be. Maybe he’s using his powers to let the wind carry over his voice, or maybe he’s saying his name while he’s running too. 

His little, stubby legs take him over sodden dirt, leaving his moccasins slightly wet, yet the wetness of his feet don’t compare to the wetness of his little bum from earlier. The trees he passes by pick up his speed, leaving a soft wooosh in his path. Two large palm leaves obscure his destination. Scrunching up his face in annoyance, Luhan picks up speed, rushing directly into it.

With such impact, Luhan gets tangled up in the leaves that were much bigger than him. He rolls into the clearing, picking up random pieces of twigs and leaves on his way inside. Right now, the sun isn’t too high or too low in the sky. It casts a perfect shadow behind the trees, making it a good place to escape the summer heat.

Yixing makes his way to the little fox that’s covered in palm leaves and twigs. His tail twitches in jubilee, seeing how his best friend is caught up in all this mess. 

“Luhan!” He greets before jumping on top of him. With the sudden weight added on to his back, Luhan’s face is pushed deeper into the green grass. 

“Yixing, get off of me.” Luhan barely manages to get out. Even if Yixing is smaller than him, the bunny spirit, is well… a bit heavier than he is. 

“I don’t want to~” Yixing singsongs, laying flat on Luhan’s back, enjoying the way the thinner boy is squirming under him. Luhan stops struggling, deciding that he’ll just lay down and surrender. From the corners of his eyes, he can see Yixing beaming down at him, and he wonders why. Trying to speak, but his cheeks are smothered to the ground, he tries anyway.

“Why are you so happy Yixing?” He asks, moving one little hand to remove a twig from his golden locks. Luhan was praised for his pristine hair: color of the sun. When he transforms into his animal form, his fur glows under the moonlight, under the sunlight; he was beautiful. 

“I saw a human boy wandering around the forest earlier. I think he’s lost.” Yixing finally decides to get off of Luhan, helping the other with getting rid of the leaves covering his tiny body. The other stands up, looking down at his dirt cover hands, and eventually wiping them on his blue shorts. he swings his tail around, brushing off the little dirt and other debris that was caught during his fall.

Yixing watches him, uninterested, but the smile doesn't leave his face. Luhan can feel the excitement coursing through him. Luhan told his Mama that he wouldn’t get into any more trouble this month, but from the way Yixing’s smiling at him deviously, it seems like he can’t keep that promise.

“What about the human boy?” Luhan walks over to his friend. When he mentioned the human boy, Yixing’s ears perked up. The usually droopy ears are standing tall, and proud. Looking over to Luhan, who stares back at him curiously, Yixing grabs a hold of his hand, leading him to god knows where. 

They stand at the edge of the clearing, concealed by ferns, leaves, and bushes. From their place they can see a child enamoured by a frog croaking at him. On his face was a radiant smile, his skin pale--pristine, similar to Luhan’s fur under the sunlight. “What is he doing to the frog?” Luhan asks his companion, their eyes not leaving the small figure in front of them. 

“Have you seen him before?” Yixing shakes his head, no. They watch as the young lad plays around with the critter, not phased by the small motions, and the slight croaks it emits. A small smile blooms over Luhan’s lips, reminded of the story his Mama once told him about gentle humans who coincide with the spirits.

Luhan nudges Yixing, but the other wouldn’t budge, keeping his eyes locked on the human boy poking the frog with a long stick. “Yixing,” Luhan tries again. Huffing, Luhan pushes Yixing harder, causing him to fall down on his rump. The movement jostled around the leaves, causing the boy to look in their direction. “Who’s there?” He asks, standing up from his crouched position. He walks closer to their hiding spot, and Luhan think’s he’s never seen eyes brighter than his before. “He’s coming closer, Yixing! What do we do?” 

Yixing, too busy glaring at his best friend, massages his behind. “My tail hurts now thanks to you.” With that, Yixing kicks Luhan’s bum, making him move forward and out of the safety of the bushes. Rolling over a couple of times, he lands in front of the boy, who stares down at him, mildly piqued. Luhan sits up quickly, his hands in the middle of his parted legs, and his tail resting beside him. Thankfully, the boy was blocking the sun from Luhan’s line of sight.

“Are you a cat?” The boy asks, sitting in front of Luhan, his own little legs folding themselves over each other, criss-crossed. His eyes were filled with questions, brown orbs that reminded Luhan of those little blueberries from the bushes. Luhan stares back, not knowing what to say or do. His ear twitches slightly when he touches the fuzzy tip. “I’m a fox!” Luhan cheerily says, his eyes turning into upside down ‘U’s’.

“A fox? But you look just like me.” The boy doesn’t stop petting Luhan, who succumbs to his touches, falling closer to the boy. 

“I can change into a boy, a fox, and in between!” 

“That’s cool. My name is Wu Shixun.” Shixun slides his hand down Luhan’s ears, over his back, to his tail, gripping it gently with his small hand. Furry, like the street cat he pets everyday. Warm, like his mother’s hand. Luhan falls into Shixun’s lap, like the puppy he has back home in town. With his belly up towards the sun, Luhan gives Shixun a cheeky smile, whipping his tail away from his grasp. 

“I’m Luhan! Hey, Shixun, are you lost?” Luhan rolls away from Shixun, his hands and knees on the grass, face close to the other boy. Before Shixun can answer, rustling sounds from the bush beside them sound. They follow the noise, not knowing what to expect when a half-human child bunny comes out. Yixing.

“Yixing! What are you doing?” Luhan exclaims sitting on his haunches, tail whipping back and forth. Yixing casually walks over towards them, his eyes on Shixun. Analyzing the boy intently, Yixing takes in the brown hair bowl haircut, stubby legs, short arms, and pale skin. The bunny sits beside Luhan, wrapping his arms around the fox, making him fall down into his lap. “Human child, do not hurt my best friend.” He tries to look menacing but Shixun just laughs, tiny hands covering his mouth. 

“I won’t hurt the pretty kitty.”

“Kitty?” Yixing and Luhan say, shocked. Luhan bolts right out of Yixing’s grasp. Yixing falls to the ground, clutching his stomach as he laughs out loud. Shixun looks at them completely perplexed. Isn’t that what Luhan is? 

“What am I, Shixun?” Yixing asks, sitting upright, hands in the middle of his legs. 

“I don't even know your name.” 

“I’m Yixing!” He bounces up, proffering a hand to Shixun who gingerly takes it. “Now,” sitting back down on the grass, “what am I, Shixun?” 

“A bunny,” Shixun simply says, before turning towards Luhan for confirmation. Luhan, who felt an intent gaze boring into the side of his face, turns towards Shixun, nodding with his mouth slightly parted. The sun slowly sets into the horizon.

“Correct! I am a bunny!” Yixing pats Shixun’s head a look of approval on his face. “We should get you home. Do you know the way back?” He questions, standing up from his seated place on the ground, dusting off the dirt that was caught on his shorts. Shixun follows suit, copying the same things that Yixing was doing. 

“I accidentally wandered off into the woods while I was playing near my grandma’s house. I kicked my ball here, and I couldn’t find it, then I fell down.” He points to his knee caked in mud, with a pout adorning his face. Luhan rushes up to it, using his hand to brush away the dirt, before covering Shixun’s wound with his hand. Waiting for a few moments, Luhan lets go, and crawls away from Shixun, tail wiggling in the air. 

“”Do you want us to take you home, Shixun?” Luhan grabs a hold of Shixun’s hand. Soft fingers interlocking with each other, while the other hand is taken by Yixing. Shyly nodding his head, yes, Yixing and Luhan guide Shixun back to the edge of the forest. Above their heads, the sun is slowly falling behind the trees, casting an orange glow in the forest. They walk on, trudging through fallen leaves, and dried moss. The sounds of life all around him brings a happy smile to his face. 

“Why are you smiling?” Yixing questions, his face turned towards Shixun, eyebrow cocked up in the slightest.

“I’m happy I met you two today. Can I play with you two again?” Shixun tightens his grasp around their hands, refusing to let go. Luhan and Yixing look at each other, with worry embedded onto their faces. Luhan sees the pain in Shixun. “I’m lonely where I’m staying at.”

Luhan looks at Yixing, who looks back at him with the same apologetic face. It’s been forever since anything remotely exciting has come upon their lives. It’s different, it’s new. “You can come everyday! Just wait by the edge of the forest, by the large grandfather oak tree, and I’ll come pick you up, Shixun.” Luhan pushes Yixing away, grabbing the free hand with his own. He stares into Shixun’s eyes, and gets mesmerized by them. 

While he’s staring, he sees a bright future.

Eagerly nodding his head, Shixun smiles at Luhan, whose cheeks rush with warmth. Is this what humans call relating to companionship? Someone you just want to take care of? 

“I will! I will! Thank you, Luhan!” They’ve finally arrived at the edge of the forest, the house is a great distance away, but this is only how far the spirits can go up to. They can never leave the forest, at least, not yet. Luhan looks back at Shixun’s retreating back, waving at the boy who doesn’t return the gesture. 

“I hope you won’t regret doing this, Luhan.” Yixing sadly mumbles under his voice, almost a murmur that is caught with the summer breeze. Toes curling into his moccasins, Luhan knows that this is a matter he will never regret. It might have just been one of the best decisions he’s made in his entire lifetime. 

 

 

 

 

 

Shixun returns to the edge of the forest with renewed vigor to play with his new companions that he randomly stumbled into yesterday. There’s a slight bounce to his step as he makes his way to the grandfather oak tree, giving it a soft pat on the base with a soft mumble of “Hello.” He doesn’t hear the greeting that it shoots back, nor does he realize that the rustling of his leaves are a greeting. But the gentle caress of the wind, is not just from the grandfather oak, but also from Mother Nature, greeting her child once more. 

He doesn’t realize how lucky he is. But with time, Shixun will notice how he has the world in his hands, and the heavens empathize with Shixun for being an only child who has to stay with his grandmother during the summers, and with his aunts and uncles through the year. In this lifetime, Shixun still smiles despite the young age that’s filled with troubles; he acts like there’s nothing holding him down. 

Shixun is boundless like the wind. 

Sitting down by Grandfather Oak’s limbs, Shixun waits for his furry friend, Luhan. With his hands on his side, carelessly drawing circles into the sodden ground, Shixun takes a moment to look around him, taking in the sights of the different colors and sounds. There’s a bit of rustling to his front, yet he doesn’t fret. He has a good feeling of who it could be. His suspicions are confirmed when a leaf is moved to the side exposing golden fur and almond shaped eyes. Luhan runs over to him, slightly out of breath, hair a mess from the running he just did. “I’m sorry I’m late, Shixun.” Luhan holds his hand out for Shixun to take, and he accepts it gratefully. 

“I didn’t wait that long, Luhan. What are we going to do today?” They don’t run, instead they take their time walking to the clearing, hand in hand. There’s this child-like innocence around Shixun, that makes Luhan just want to bask in it forever. Hoping that it’ll never leave. On their way there, birds chirp at the small fox, who waggles his tail back. 

“We can run around the clearing until we’re tired from having too much fun!” He shouts, slightly jumping on the balls of his feet. Shixun chuckles at Luhan’s reaction, but when he spots the familiar plants he saw yesterday, he tightens his hold on Luhan’s hand. Not knowing why they’ve been holding hands in the first place. Running full speed, not even giving the small fox a warning, Shixun takes off, brushing past the color green, and the smell of rain. 

 

\---

 

Shixun makes it a daily trek to go to the clearing everyday. Without as much as a simple “I’ll be back before sundown.” thrown over his shoulder to his Grandmother, Shixun journeys down the path he now knows by heart. With summer almost nearing its ending, Shixun knows he needs to tell his friends this horrifying news. He doesn't want to leave them. In the everyday that he’s been enjoying his freedom, he’s come to realize he wouldn’t want to forget them.

Thinking that Luhan and Yixing are there for the summer, he wants to make sure that if this is the last time he’ll be seeing them, his days are numbered with happiness. He knows it’ll be back to a life where he’s outcasted by other children, who wouldn’t even spare a single glance at him. he knows the way to the clearing now. He can get into there by himself, he is a very smart eight year old afterall. But this time is different, he’s coming at an earlier time.

He enjoys the days where he would just run there, happily frolicking with the other two. Rolling on the ground, getting his shirt dirty from the grass that would get caught, Shixun would end the day with him reprimanded by this grandmother at how he’s such a dirty child when he gets home. 

Sometimes, when they’re all tired from playing around, Luhan would find solace in his lap, and ask for his ears to be scratched. In those times, Yixing would give them a mischievous grin, that seemed to sign that he had another thought in mind. Another meaning behind that look of his, making Shixun blush, and Luhan furrow deeper into Shixun’s embrace. Shixun wouldn’t stop his ministrations though. He liked hearing the sounds of contentment rushing out of Luhan’s mouth in a form of a soft purr. 

Shixun arrives just before the sun peeks over the mountain tops, greeting a sleepy world good morning. He’s been tossing and turning in his sleep, wanting to make sure that he the messages he wants to voice out will be heard. Tossing back the fern that he’s been so accustomed to seeing, Shixun takes one heavy step at a time to the middle of the clearing, just before the sun reached over his head. 

Determination running through his veins, Shixun grips a charm in his hand tighter. He wants to give this to Luhan, he wants Luhan to have this. Hoping that no matter where Luhan goes, a reminder of Shixun will always be with him. “Luhan!” He yells out, into the open. When nothing stirs, not even the summer breeze that’s starting to chill. He cries out for his small vixen once more. 

Luhan stands behind the base of the tree, not wanting to come out, because when he does, he knows it’s going to be the end. 

“Luhan!” Shixun yells out again, voice hoarse, for a mere child screaming in the dead of the morning. Pushing himself away from the bark, Luhan takes tentative steps forward. He doesn't want Shixun to leave him yet. If only there was a way for him, for them to be connected. Sending a silent prayer to the heavens, Luhan walks toward the child in the middle of the clearing. 

“Shixun,” Luhan softly whispers when he’s in front of the younger boy, whose hair is askew, shoes dirty with mud, and his shirt tattered up, just like the first day they’ve met. Shixun looks down at Luhan, whose fur glimmers with the rising run. For a moment, Shixun’s lost his train of thought; lost it when this ethereal being walked infront of him. There’s an urge to scratch behind those ears, but he remembers the charm in his hand. 

Holding out his right fist, Shixun opens his palm upwards toward Luhan. It’s a small pendant he bought from the money he’s saved up. Nudging it towards the fox, Luhan carefully picks it up, examining it under the rays of day. “What is this?” He questions, keeping his eye on the gift.

“It’s so you wouldn’t forget me.” Shixun simply says, voice timid.

Luhan looks up at him, ears twitching, tail flipping around. “It’s not simple for a god like me to forget. We live for a long time, and remember a lot.” He steps forward once more, standing toe to toe with Shixun.  
“Giving me this means, you’re bound to me. Can’t take it back.” Wrapping his tail around Shixun’s leg, Luhan pushes himself closer to the human boy. Shixun shyly grins down, taking hold of the fox’s free hand. He silently nods his head. Yes. 

“Shixun," Luhan says, his voice getting caught in the summer wind, "You're mine forever okay?" The spirit looks up at the human with a cheeky smile; it was just the beginning of their fate intertwining. 

 

“I’m yours.” Shixun whispers pulling Luhan closer to him. He wishes summer never ended, so he wouldn’t have to go back to the big city, leaving Luhan behind.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun wakes up at the crack of dawn, rubbing away sleep with his hand, as he checks his clock. It’s a little bit too early to be awake, but today, he’s going to pick up his boyfriend before going to school. It’s a routine he’s gotten accustomed to ever since he properly asked him out less than two weeks ago. It’s been a tough one, a tough cookie to beat.

No one would have expected, Oh Sehun, the delinquent to be falling in love with someone who spends most of his time buried in books, studying their minds off. But those are the people who believed that Sehun wasn’t capable of falling in love. And boy were they wrong. 

Adjusting his tie one final time in front of his bathroom mirror, Sehun smiles before he’s on his way. He hums a happy tune, a song that’s been playing on the radio a few times. Walking with his hands stuffed into his pockets, basking in the cold of the morning, Sehun can’t get happier than this. He’s thankful that Luhan accepted his confession, there’s nothing more he would want in this world, except a life of just him and Luhan. 

Pressing the doorbell of Luhan’s house, Sehun waits patiently by the doorframe. He scuffs his shoes on the ground before the door finally opens, revealing his petite lover. There’s a radiant smile on his face, and Sehun thinks its brighter than the sun he saw on his way there. “Morning, gorgeous.” He offers his elbow once Luhan has safely locked his house. 

Luhan links arms with his boyfriend, standing on his tippy toes to kiss his cheek. “Morning, handsome.” Sehun pouts and stops in his tracks when that’s all Luhan gave him. 

“What’s the matter?” Luhan giggles into his fist, enjoying the way Sehun’s giving him his signature frown. 

“That’s all I’m getting?” He complains, staring down his boyfriend who’s a great deal shorter than him. Luhan rolls his eyes before letting go of his arms, and cupping Sehun’s face in between his small hands. He firmly plants a kiss on to those awaiting lips. A warm arm wraps itself around his waist, pulling him closer. 

“So picky.” Luhan chides, before patting his chest, and pushing him away. Sehun walks with a grin on his face the whole time, but when the school gates come into view, he halts them once again. 

“What is your problem, Oh Sehun?” Luhan cocks his eyebrow giving Sehun a pointed look. 

“I just want my baby to have a good day in school. Study hard!” Leaning down to press a kiss on Luhan’s forehead. 

“Yeah, yeah.” The smaller mumbles.

 

-

 

With his nose deep into the books, Luhan, with his index finger, reads the information laid out thoroughly in front of him. He's too absorbed in his studies that he doesn't hear the chair beside him slide against the tiles, nor does he see the person who sat down beside him. Once Luhan's deep into his studying, he won't pay attention to his surroundings. So by default, when Luhan stands up to get another book for reference, he would get shocked when he's suddenly pulled back, landing on someone's lap.

Looking up from his face buried into the stranger's chest, Luhan's met with warm eyes, and a gentle smile. "I’ve missed you." said Sehun, pulling the smaller into a more comfortable position in between his legs, with Luhan standing up. The latter blushes at their close proximity "I just saw you this morning," Luhan whispers, trying to walk away.

But alas, Sehun slides his arm around the small of his back, pulling Luhan closer to his torso. Roles reversed, Sehun looks up at Luhan, "I've been pretty lonely." Small hands find their way onto strong shoulders, smoothening out his pristine white dress shirt. "It's not my intention to ignore you, Sehun."

"I know, I'm just-- I miss my boyfriend, you know?" Standing up from his place on the chair, small hands that once found solace on Sehun's shoulders now slide down to his chest, on those pectorals. The hold around Luhan's waist tightens with one hand, as another tilts Luhan's head up. For a moment they stare at each other, wondering what could possibly be going on in each other's heads. Sehun's eyes roam the expanse of Luhan's tiny face, landing at his plump pink lips. Sehun's going to do this, he's going to kiss Luhan.

Leaning down, he can feel Luhan tightening his grasp on Sehun's pectorals, he smirks before pressing his lips against soft, inviting ones. He presses harder, and so does Luhan, before his arms travel up to wrap around Sehun's neck. When they part, the smaller's eyes glimmer in happiness. "So you were saying something about studying? Can you push it back now and kiss me instead?"

"Oh Sehun, you're insufferable. I swear."

"Only for you baby."

 

In this lifetime, Sehun’s smitten by Luhan.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Shixun stares down at Luhan who wears tattered overalls, and a cap, trying to hide his animal features from the rest of the world. He holds out his hand for the smaller to hold on too. Luhan beams up at him before taking it, cuddling into his arm, bringing it to his chest. “I’m really excited, Shixun! I haven’t been to the human market in forever.”

“Why’s that?” Shixun keeps forwards walking over mounds of dirt, and dead leaves, advancing out of the forest. Shixun only has seven days left to share with Luhan. There’s a general plan in his head of how he would want to spend his last week with Luhan. He wants to bring him everywhere, even home and show him to his grandmother who will accept him with open arms. 

Luhan nuzzles into Sehun’s bicep, a small hum of contentment escapes his lips. “I never really had a reason to go there in the first place. I don’t really need to eat anything. Human food is more of a delicacy.” 

Sehun hums in response, fixing the straw hat on his head too. He’s not really thinking of the path, instead his mind takes him to the softness of Luhan’s cheek that’s rubbing against his bare arm. He moves his hand on to his head, patting the smaller.

 

Trekking into the village market, Sehun makes sure everything of Luhan is covered. When all’s clear he shrugs Luhan off his arm, and runs. “Try to catch me if you can, Luhan!”

 

With days numbered, Sehun tries to make sure every single day counts.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

The notice came in the mail, it wasn’t unexpected: every male over the age of eighteen is drafted into the war. Sehun holds the letter in his hand, taking shaky steps towards the door. He doesn’t know how to break this to his girlfriend: the love of his life. He doesn’t know how to break this to his mother. He’s the only man of the house now, ever since his father died in an accident at the automobile plant.

Leaning against the door frame, tears strolling down his face that slowly stain the paper with splotches, Sehun reads the notice with a heavy heart. He takes in the faded ink of the typewriter, and the information that tells him he has three days until he is deployed. Sehun thinks of the two most important people in his life, his fiance Luhan, and his mother. He doesn’t want to leave them knowing that there’s a possibility that he might not even come back. Fixing his position to lean against the brick wall, the door to his side creaks open revealing his mother wearing an apron. 

Sehun can guess that she’s just finished making dinner, but there’s tears that well up in her eyes when she takes in the sight of Sehun holding the paper in his hands. Sympathy all over her face, she brings Sehun into her embrace, softly telling him that it’s okay to cry. That there’s nothing to fear. He was expecting this, ever since the American involvement in the World War. 

Sehun brings his arms around his mother’s waist, keeping her in place, keeping her close to him. Breath shaky from the news that he wasn’t exactly prepared for, Sehun opens his mouth, trying to get words to form. “I don’t know how to tell Luhan about this, Mom.” He keeps his face buried into her shoulder even if she’s a great deal shorter than him. 

“She deserves to know, son. Bring her over for dinner, and promise her you’ll make it out alive. I know you will son.” Mother rubs her hand all over Sehun’s back, trying to be strong for her son, for the both of them. Letting go unwillingly, Mother leads Sehun inside, sitting him down on the couch before wiping her hands on her apron. “You can go when you’re ready. There is no rush, you have time, son.” Time. Time that’ll break them apart, time that’ll separate them. 

-

Rasping his fist on a front door he’s been seeing ever since he was a child, Sehun hold his breath, wondering about what he could tell Luhan. How to break it to her that he’s joining the army, but he has to, it’s for them, it’s for the country. Within a few heartbeats, Luhan opens the door, her face brightening instantly when she spots Sehun. A forlorn look on his face, he takes in her image, storing it deep in his mind for future use when he’ll miss the love of his life. But a flash of another image comes to mind, the same blinding smile, still Luhan, but younger, hair cut shorter, as if she was a boy. Petite, but still beautiful. He blinks his eyes multiple times, and he’s brought back to the present. 

“Are you okay, Sehun?” Luhan walks out of her house, cautiously reaching her hand, placing it on her fiance’s shoulder. Before it can land there, Sehun intercepts it, bringing her warm palm to his cheek instead. Soft smiles, gentle eyes, Sehun kisses the heel of her palm. “Come for dinner, and stay the night.” Sehun says, stepping forward catching her waist. 

Her eyes widen at the sudden act, but then return to normal size. She stands on her tippy toes, pressing a kiss onto her fiance’s chin. Alas, when she tries to move away, Sehun bring his warm hand under her jaw, maneuvering his head so he can press his lips onto hers, just when the sun was setting down into the horizon. “Tonight, give me all of you.” He whispers against her lips, the hand on her jaw sliding to her cheeks, and into her hair, cradling her head, pulling her in closer. 

Luhan smiles against his lips, chastly kissing him again. “I’ll always be yours.” Tightening his hold, Sehun revels in their close proximity. Their foreheads touching, he let’s his eyes fall to a close. 

“Will you love me in every lifetime we have together?” His voice starts to shake, and Luhan brings her arms around Sehun’s shoulders, hugging him, even if she doesn’t know what’s happening. 

“In every lifetime that you and I exist, I’ll always be in love with you.” 

 

That night after breaking the news to Luhan, Sehun brings her up into his room, making her remember everything he loves about her. From the way her eyes glimmer under the moonlight when they walk to the park at night, to the way her smiles brighten up even his darkest days, and to the way she fits him perfectly, boosting out the qualities he has whenever she’s around. She’s the most perfect person in this world, and Sehun can’t imagine a life without her. 

-

She sends Sehun off with a hard kiss to the lips, her fingers tangling into his hair, leaving them breathless.

-

 

Sehun sends letters to Luhan every two weeks, or as often as he can. He tries to remind her in every letter that he loves her, and there’s nothing that would change that. 

 

Luhan sends back a letter that she’s pregnant. 

-

From the every two weeks that Sehun sends mail, it turns into every month. He tells Luhan about the war from the front lines, how his fellow mates die in action. He tells her about the way men turn into beasts once they’re faced with something like war. It releases the insanity from within. 

Luhan is now four months pregnant.

 

-

Sehun sends home another letter, this time, he’s writing while there’s a bomb exploding behind him. He tries to write quickly so that he can send it once he returns to camp. His only source of light is from the moonlight, and the constant explosions. He kisses the corner of the letter, signs his name, and stuffs it into the envelope. 

He prays that he can make it through, at least to send it to his fiance and his child that’s inside her 

 

-

Sehun thanks the heavens above that they’ve given him another day, another moment to live. He’s counting his blessings, keeping them close to his heart. He knows that god won’t always be on his side, during times where a man needs to fend for himself, but he’s thankful that he’s still breathing. 

“For Luhan. For Luhan.” Sehun repeats to himself, whenever he has the urge to give up the fight and kill himself in battle. 

 

Luhan gives birth to a healthy baby boy. She names him after Sehun’s father. 

 

-

Luhan receives a letter in the mail addressed to her. She’s excited to open it but her hands are caught with the crying child in her arms. She asks her mother in law to carry him, excitement coursing through her veins as she slides her finger under the flap, ripping it open. 

 

_My beloved Luhan,_

_It’s been almost a year now, maybe more. War makes a man go crazy, the innocence is ruined for a teenager. I am writing to you to tell you how much I love you, and that you make life worth living. If I ever come back, I promise you the world. Together we will create our own kingdom, you, me and sweet pea._

_But if I don’t. I’m sorry, I have to be realistic. It’s chaotic out here. Men killed left and right. People you wouldn’t expect to fight are here on his battle field. But just know, If I die, darling, I died to protect this world for you and our son. I wish I was there to hold him in my arms at least once. Hold him for me, don’t let him go. Write me letters, send them to heaven. If only it were possible._

_I’ll always love you. In this lifetime, you waited for me. In the next, I’ll wait for you. You said we’ll always be together right?_

_Forever, and for always. till the sun stops shining, I’ll always be the man of your dreams. Haha, don’t cry. You’re too beautiful to cry. When it rains, that’s me crying too. The winter breeze is me kissing your cheeks. The summer sun is me holding your hand._

_I love you with all the flowers of Spring that blooms._

_Oh Sehun._

 

Luhan collapses to the floor, holding the, now crumpled, letter into her chest. Her sobs were loud enough to pierce the silent room. She thinks back to the times when it was just her and Sehun against the world, when they would spend countless afternoons gazing up at the sky counting clouds, trying to give an object to them. 

“Se-sehun.” She stutters out, voice hoarse, face filled with tears. All she would want to do is tell him in person she loves him too. 

_In another lifetime, in every lifetime, I’ll always be yours._ Luhan buries her face into the palms of her hands, letting out everything she can. Yes. Yes, she thinks. She needs to be stronger for the both of them. For their son.

 

In this life, Luhan communicates to Sehun, through her mind, and her heart, telling him stories everyday, hoping that he would listen from where he is. She tells him stories until it’s her turn to greet him with open arms. And there’s nothing better than being with him once again……

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

On the second day, Sehun brings to the clearing with him a ball tucked under his right hand. The heat was unbearably hot today, and all he wanted to do was get underneath the canopies, maybe he’ll play with Luhan afterwards. Pushing away the fern, Shixun’s meet with Luhan and Yixing catching butterflies. “Can I join?” He yells out, walking to the nearest tree to set the ball down there. Yixing beckons him over with his hand, his ears flopping all over the place. But before he actually makes it there, Luhan charges into him, sending them both to the ground.

“Shixun! I missed you!” Luhan snuggles into Shixun, tightening his grasp around his waist. Yixing comes to his rescue, pulling the little fox off of him, however, Luhan has his tails around Shixun’s leg, keeping him bounded towards the human. 

“Let him breathe first, Luhan.” Yixing runs back after Shixun’s finally on his feet brushing away all the grass that made its way onto his back. “I’m sorry Shixun, I just really missed you.” Luhan twiddles with his fingers, looking up at Shixun with wide apologetic eyes. Shixun chuckles, patting Luhan’s head with his hand. 

“It’s okay, I missed you too. I brought over a ball today. Maybe later on you want to play with it?”

“Sure!”

 

The three of them, Luhan, Yixing and Shixun, spend the whole day catching butterflies, (that they eventually let go of), and playing around with the ball they kicked towards each other. Today they found out that Luhan has a great affinity for kicking things very far, which ended up with the ball flying off out of the clearing.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

In a crowd of people, one might feel alone.

Many faces pass by, and the only thing some get is a glimpse, not even knowing if they’ve passed by someone they know. It’s busy. It’s confusing sometimes, impolite also. Hundreds of people walk together in a group, be it coming or going, the sidewalks are always packed with people trying to get to their destination. Along the way everyone gets pushed into one another, no soft mumbles of sorry or excuse me spoken. But one eventually one gets used to this, it’s not like they’ll ever see each other again. Can’t keep holding grudges on someone you don’t even know; someone you just had a split second encounter with. 

That’s the thought Luhan has walking down the busy streets of New York city, one December afternoon. The holiday rush is full in effect. People going from store to store trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones for Christmas, and others on the side of the streets often overlooked because they ask bystanders for just bit of their loose change. 

Luhan stops near a homeless woman, who’s holding the hand of who he presumes is her daughter. He gives his heart out to her. She’s trying to do everything just to keep them alive. Reaching into his pocket, pulling out a crisp ten dollar bill, Luhan walks up to them, and puts it into her hand. It’s warm, like his mother’s that he left back in China. She looks up at him, her face etched with sincere thanks. “Keep it.” Luhan whispers, patting her hand with his. “I know it’s not much. But I hope it’ll get you through the holidays.”

“Thank you.” She says, crystal drops falling down the side of her face. But before she can say anything more, Luhan walks away with his hands stuffed into warm winter jacket. He scans the crowd of people, often smiling to others who also look around. Looking around as he passes by people, Luhan doesn’t feel to alone. But Luhan’s eyes fell on a young man, whose gaze seemed so familiar. He turns around quickly, looking to find him with the same perplexed expression. 

They stare at each other momentarily, staring into each other’s eyes from across the distance. Luhan stays plastered to the ground, refusing to walk anywhere else. The stranger does too. In the midsts of all these people pushing against them, they could only see each other. It’s like I’ve seen him before, but I’m sure this is the first time I’m seeing him. Quickly blinking his eyes, Luhan’s jolted back to the present when someone rudely nudged his back. He gives the stranger a dazzling smile and turns on his heels, walking further and further away from the man. 

 

In this lifetime Luhan believes in red strings of fate, and destiny, soulmates. He also believes that there’s a reason for everything, and if he sees that man again, maybe….maybe it’s everything working together. He doesn’t think too much about it, walking into his afternoon job. The warm air engulfs him whole, shielding him from the cold air of December. 

“Luhan!”

“Baekhyun!” 

“Geez, I thought you were going to be late today.” Baekhyun walks around the counter, to greet his best friend with a warm hug. Luhan accepts it. 

“No, I just...got caught up.”

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan was her errand boy, maid, her little fox. Sold to Mama for the sole purpose of paying off debt, that his parents owed to her. He was sly, mischievous, cunning; the qualities that Mama also possesses. but with a face of an angel.

It could also be seen that Mama raised Luhan up to be the son that she never had. He was pampered with the best. With no inkling of evil in any fibre of his body, Mama and Luhan were on different ends of the color spectrum.

He had the hips that were perfect to hold on too, yet, because Mama never puts Luhan out on the market, he was still a virgin, and will be sold to the highest bidder. He knows this. 

The only knowledge of sex he has, is from the stories the others have told him. Luhan believes in love. Luhan believes that his body is worth something, but he wouldn't tell these ladies that. 

Luhan keeps it locked in his heart, hoping that one day someone will come save him, and cherish his body. just like how he'll savor the feeling of love.

Suitors would come from all over China just to take a glance at the little hidden gem Mama had. His name was Luhan, Mama's wild card.

Luhan was off the market, falling under the category of “You can look, but cannot touch.” He wouldn't be sold to anyone because once Mama sells Luhan, she wouldn't get him back. People like to think it's because a suitor with the amount of money that she's wants, has arrived yet. 

They weren’t far from the truth. To Mama, Luhan was a business deal. Her definition of a son is someone who can bring her a good fortune. He was a source of money that can guarantee her much more, and she saw that the first moment he gazed into those large, warm, honey brown eyes.

She loves him, just like a son, but she loved him more as a business deal.

-

Tonight is one of those nights, where Luhan had to follow Mama around the brothel.The clatter of businessmen, not-so-gently slamming down their glass bottles of rum on the table. The place smelled like Mama’s special cigars, the ones where Luhan would have to venture out into the dark slums just to buy it.

 

He doesn't understand why Mama made him wear his finest silks tonight. A feeling of uncertainty and nervousness coils up into his gut. 

They walk deeper into the brothel, passing by the the general section and entering to the sections that’s reserved for dignitaries. The only source of light was from the paper lantern hanging from the ceiling. It made everything seem more sensual. With dimmed lights, cognac and cigars, Luhan is thankful he’s not like his sisters who deal with the hands of unknown men on their body. 

Luhan looks forward, admiring the way Mama presents herself. A strong, independent woman with a horrendously big head on her shoulders. Rolling his shoulders back to imitate her, Luhan walks with his head held up high too. 

Standing in front of the rice paper doors, Luhan’s heart starts to pound faster. Meeting businessmen wasn’t his forte. He’d rather stay behind the scenes of the house. He’d rather hidden from the eyes of hungry men wanting his body for pleasure. 

“Mama,” Luhan says softly. She takes a long drag from her black pipe before she turns around to Luhan. 

“What?” The smoke comes out of her mouth effortlessly. Luhan blinks his eyes repeatedly to get the stinging away from his eyes. 

“What are we doing?” He asks, smoothing out his silks down. The breeze from the winter flutters his qipao up. The slit on the side was too high for his liking. Slowly Luhan understands where this is heading to.

“We’re meeting someone important, Xiao Lu. He’s the young successor of the Black Dragon. His old man came here with a purpose of finding him a wife. Guess who that would be?”

All the wind has been knocked out of his body when the words “finding him a wife” came into his field of hearing. Luhan looks up at Mama with glistening eyes, taking a deep breath, he knew this was going to happen soon enough. 

“Is it time, Mama?” Luhan says with his eyes closed, trying to hold back the tears, the memories of this brothel with his sisters and his brother, Baekhyun. 

“Yes, it is. I’m glad you understand. I’ve raised you well. I’ve taken you under my wing for this purpose. Don’t bring dishonor to me, Xiao Lu.” Mama gets on eye level with Luhan, her index finger slipping under his chin to bring his head up. Carefully examining his face, a devious smile forms on Mama’s face. 

“Mother knows best. Mother knows best, Little Luhan. He’s quite a sight if I say so myself. Good Luck. Don’t come in until I say so.” She taps Luhan’s cheek two times with her index finger, before she turns around to face the door. 

Luhan sees her take a deep breath, before she can put on her best “business” face on. He’s seen this face to many times, the superficial act makes Luhan cringe. At least it’s better than seeing Mama angry. It’s not a beautiful sight. 

Sliding the paper door to the side, Luhan hides on the side where they can’t see him, but he can see them. There, he sees him. A white fedora hides half his face, but he can see the pink tongue occasionally making its way past his lips. 

“Ahh, Jia! Glad you can join us. Where is your little lotus flower?” Luhan hears the voice of an older man say. How is Mama not scared to be stuck inside a room filled with men who hungrily look her up and down? 

He hears the sound of glass bottles clattering around, the unattractive sounds of men laughing. Luhan wonders when will it be his turn. He nervously glances down and plays with his fingers. The feeling never passed, it has only accumulated exponentially. The unsteady beat of his heart reverberates in his chest.

“Xiao Lu, please enter.” 

Luhan takes a deep breathe as he stand in front of the rice paper doors once again. Squaring his shoulders, and holding his head up high, Luhan slides it to the side. The room was just as dim as the hallway. The lanterns on the ceiling were hung low enough, however there was a large glass chandelier in the middle. 

He keeps his eyes focused on the person he believes will be his new husband. He is quite young. Luhan can smell the hunger of sexual desires emanating deep within him. Was he just like himself? Has he experimented with the bodies of women in his adolescent years? Luhan wonders as he walks through the room of men. The smell of cigars is stronger here. 

Taking a seat next to Mama, Luhan lowers his eyes down to his lap. His little hands folded perfectly as he waits for the introductions. 

Mama clears her throat before she does the introductions. Everyone watches Luhan in amazement, wondering where she found this precious angel. How does the devil make a pact with Heaven to take one of his angels?

“Gentlemen, this is Luhan. He’s very special to me, please give him your warmest Welcomes.” She begins. “Luhan please raise your head, and introduce yourself to these gentlemen.”

Palms sweaty, head filled with thoughts rushing a thousand miles per hour. Luhan’s forgotten what Mama has taught him over the years. It’s rare for Mama to show Luhan to dignitaries, in this case, Chinese Triad bosses. 

Luhan raises his head, keeping his eyes locked with what he expects to be the young boss. He scolds his face of emotion, speaking like an automated robot.

“My name is Luhan. I am twenty-three years old. My specialty is in Chinese Literature. Please take care of me, young boss.” Bowing down, his forehead barely touching the table. Luhan lets out a sigh of relief before he feels a small tap on his back, to make him return to his original position. 

The young boss, is captivated by Luhan’s beauty. His eyes never left those warm, inviting eyes that told him something different from what he was physically saying. As if in that moment, the young boss knew that he had to save this being, and teach him the meaning of freedom and love. 

Luhan was displaying an SOS with his eyes, and the young boss is the only one to have noticed that. 

“Please introduce yourself, young boss.” Mama says, taking another long drag from her pipe, exhaling it into the air, for everyone to see. 

Young Boss takes off his black blazer, keeping his fedora on. His black suspenders were a perfect contrast on his starch white dress shirt. For a moment, Luhan loses his breathe again. This man is made out of perfection. Little did he know, the young boss thought of him the same way. 

“The name’s Oh Sehun.” Sehun reaches deep into his pocket for his special cigar, turning his head to the left for his subordinate to light it up for him. Everyone in the room waits in anticipation for what he’ll say next. In the two years that Sehun’s been running the underground business well. Within a year, he had everyone in the palm of his hand. He was strategic, calculating. Handsome. 

“Twenty-six years old. New head of the Black Tiger organization. Martial arts.” Gray wisps coming out of his mouth as he speaks. For the first time in forever, Luhan’s captivated by another being. Strong shoulders, long face half concealed with the fedora sitting on his head. He shyly smiles toward him, looking away before he’s too carried away.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Day 5

 

On the fifth day of Shixun’s final week. he takes a longer time to go. He goes after lunch was served. Today he doesn’t know what to do. The last two days have been talking about what Sehun does in the big city--what he wanted to be when he gets older.

Luhan commented that even though is quite, young he knows a lot for his age. Sehun asked him how old the smaller was He laughed, and while he laughed the rustle of the breeze seemed like they were laughing too. 

_  
“I’m nine hundred years old. When I’m in my animal form, I have nine-tails that illuminate with the moonlight.”_

_“Are you powerful?” Shixun questions, he can’t help but be curious._

_“Very powerful.”_

_“Then why are you short?”_

_“I like this form the best.”_

__

 

He doesn’t even realize he’s entered the clearing when warm hands attach themselves to his middle. Luhan always greets him like this, round eyes filled with excitement looking deep within his soul. Touching parts that he’s never known before. Without thinking, his mind off in a far away place, Shixun grabs a hold of Luhan’s face with both hands. He’s seen lovers do this before in the big city; just before lovers parted ways to go to work. 

 

He’s just a child that doesn’t know anything involving love. The only love he knows is his affinity for the sesame balls his grandma makes for snacks sometimes. He looks into those eyes that seem to lead him into another world. He sees himself in all those lives. He sees Luhan. He sees them. Small thumbs rubs the apples of his cheeks, before he leans down, capturing Luhan’s lips in a chaste kiss. 

For a moment the other is too shocked to push him away. Shixun was afraid Luhan wouldn’t want this. However, he’s just as shocked when Luhan pushes himself closer, tail wrapping around Shixun. The act of possessing, Shixun now realizes. 

When they part, Luhan’s eyes are glossier, lips slightly smudged with spit. But there’s something different about Luhan, his eyes seem to glow like the light that casts itself in the lake during a full moon. 

“Luhan,” He says, hands still holding Luhan’s. “I’m never going to let you go either.” His eyes fall down to the necklace around Luhan’s neck, and thinks, yes , he really won’t.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun steps out from the suffocating business room, pushes past the glass doors and breathes in the prickling frigid autumn air. He loosens his tie, slides off the red hair tie pulling tight at his scalp, and shakes his long white-blond hair out. He lets them cascade down his shoulders, the soft curls flittering against his cheek as they get carried by the cool zephyr blowing through the city. He whips out a cigarette stick from his breastpocket, proceeds to fish around his pockets for a light. He takes out his Zippo, a thumb already working on the flint-wheel. A smooth flick, and there’s blue fire engulfing one end of the stick, edges smouldering into ash. He greedily claims a long drag, hollowing his cheeks as he inhales, and inhales, and inhales.

He watches glass automobiles whizz past him, disappearing into lines and colours and blurs with the flashing bright lights from the sky buildings around him. He feels the nicotine swirling in his lungs and, as he blows the smoke out, he feels immortal.

This lifetime is hard on him. He’s been transferred to different parallels and universes, bent and thrashed and flattened and stringed just so he can help maintain the balance of the multiverse, tabulate and monitor the pace of existences in the places he’s demanded, annihilate an entire parallel if needed be, not thinking of the thousands upon millions upon billions of life forms he’d destroy. It’s still a job, though. And a job is a job. 

Sehun’s already working on his sixth stick by the time Luhan squeezes past the double glass doors. 

Her hair’s still an immaculate piece of art, a scarlet fire swept into a bun to the side, teardrops of diamonds intricately braided into the strands, tiny wisps of red curls whispering against her nape, fringe splayed all over her fair forehead. There are dots of diamonds on her eyelashes, glitters on her freckled nose and shoulders, stars in her green eyes. Her face was a galaxy he could never stop falling into, never think of wiping away from this existence. She looks ethereal in her emerald dress, her white arms covered with a warm ecru shawl Sehun had bought while on a mission in Late Ceylon. 

Luhan. How to begin explaining who she is. She was supposed to be just a conquest. Someone to pass time by while thinking of a way to blast a parallel into oblivion. She was a budding scientist, much like him when he was at her level. She was assigned to be an intern under him and Sehun took her under his wing, albeit unwillingly. But that was before he saw her. That was before he had seen her face. That was before he had looked into her eyes, her unfamiliar, sparkling green eyes. That was before he saw this spark of recognition way beneath those emerald pools and drowned in their depths. 

The instant Luhan’s hand had touched his he knew who she really was. It was all hazy and weird at first but the feel of her skin against his was something he filed as something close to being labelled home. And he never looked back. Not even when he had come to the conclusion that Luhan had no idea who he was.

Luhan sashays her way towards Sehun, and pulls the cigarette away from Sehun’s lips. She throws it out into the gap between the sidewalk and the streets and down to the dark abyss, falling and falling to Heavens’ know where.

“I thought you were quitting,” Luhan says as she runs a hand through Sehun’s fair hair, curls the ends around a perfectly manicured finger. Her coral-coloured lips are pursed into a pout and Sehun leans down to kiss them. He knows how much Luhan hates nicotine-laced kisses, claiming They don’t taste like you, I want to taste you, not a furnace while she tugged down his jeans that one night.

Luhan leans into the kiss, pressing a little harder before pushing Sehun away, hands spread all over Sehun’s chest. “Ew,” she breathes, puffs of white smoke mingling in between them. “Stop that.”

“Hmmn,” Sehun hums, his fingers traipsing up and down the curve of Luhan’s side, twirling by the dip where her pelvis bone protrudes. “Should I cut my hair before I leave?”

“No,” Luhan says, hands automatically burying themselves through silver strands, trimmed fingernails raking Sehun’s scalp. “I love your hair this way.”

“Did you know,” Sehun starts, takes steps closer to Luhan, skims his nose down Luhan’s jaw, “I haven’t had a single haircut since the moment I met you.”

“Why,” Luhan sort of asks, eyes fluttering to a close, eyelashes fanning across her milky cheeks, shades darker that her hair.

“It sort of helps me remember.” Sehun pushes the glass door open and manages to get them to an elevator, presses the button to the 25th floor before kissing Luhan’s waiting mouth, a hand lifting up to remove the fasten on Luhan’s hair, letting the stream of molten red thread and tangle with his winter-fair strands.

It all happens so fast. It’s a whirlwind of sighs and pants and deeply-gulped breaths and stretches of skin and muscles and heatheatheat. 

“Remember what,” Luhan breathlessly pants as she rakes the heel of her foot down Sehun’s spine, begging him to come closer and closer and impossibly closer. Sehun’s long cold hair forms a spiralling curtain around their faces as he obliges, plunging deeper and deeper in sin and lust and fire. Luhan clutches onto Sehun’s shoulders, fingernails burying in Sehun’s back, thighs tightening around Sehun’s slender waist.

“It helps me remember that as long as my hair is long,” Sehun says in between kisses up and around Luhan’s neck and chest and bosom, “I’ll have you. I’ll have the world.”

“And what if I cut your hair off?” Luhan asks into the darkness much later, face buried in Sehun’s chest. She breathes in the cold scent of Sehun, lets it fill her lungs, and hopes she can keep it there, let Sehun’s scent taint and bind with the blood in her veins. She memorises the feel of Sehun’s warm skin against hers. There’ll be no This Sehun tomorrow. He’s on a suicide mission, and it’s all reckless abandon now.

“That means you’ll leave me. And I’ll be rendered weak and I wouldn’t have anyone to live this shitty life for. I cannot lose you, Luhan.” Sehun presses a kiss to Luhan’s moist forehead, strokes a hand up and down her downy arm. “Better I turn into a lion than lose you.”

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan stands by the black Kawasaki Ninja, looking at it warily. He's never ridden a motorcycle before, hell, he's never been involved with anything dangerous. Dangerous meaning, Oh Sehun, who lives for the thrill, loves heights, and eats oysters for breakfast. The complete opposite of him who's always lived it easy, stayed with his head under the clouds, feet on the ground, opted for cereal. Clenching and unclenching his fists on his sides repeatedly, Luhan looks at Sehun who gives him a suave smile in return. "Trust me." he says, and Luhan thinks this is goes beyond his morals.

"I'm afraid." Luhan doesn't move an inch from his spot. Sehun, wearing all black, offers him one of his helmets. "If you hold on to me, I won't hurt you. I won't try anything that you don't want." Sehun proffers his hand out to Luhan, who accepts it nervously, taking a cautious step forward. He’s giving his all to this man that lives spontaneously and relies on adrenaline. 

"Do you trust me?" Sehun brings Luhan's shaky arms around his waist, already seated on the leather seat.. Once settled, Luhan holds on to him tightly, helmet head nuzzled against Sehun’s broad, leather covered back.

"I trust you."

"Then don't let go." And they're off. Racing against the darkness of the night, speeding through the streets of Seoul without a care in the world. Luhan holds on tighter, wondering if he's hurting Sehun. He keeps his eyes closed, not wanting to see what they're speeding past. "Open your eyes, baby. I know you don't have them open,"

"How did you know?" Luhan slowly opens his eyes, and sees the bright colors of the night blaze by. It's beautiful, and captivating, just like Sehun.

 

"Because I know you, body, mind and soul."

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

“Young Master Luhan,” Sehun whispers into the door, wondering if his master is inside his quarters, or has retired for the night. Just before Sehun was about to walk away dejectedly, a creak in the door turns his attention back to it. There, showing half his body, was his elegant master, the one who seems to have caught his eye.

“Don’t leave.” Luhan says, pushing his hand through and pulling Sehun in by the edge of his shirt. He tumbles in, less than gracefully, and Luhan has to hold his giggles behind his hands. Sehun sheepishly scratches his nape, feeling very much like an idiot right now. 

“I’m sorry about that Young Master.” Pushing himself of the ground, Sehun tries to redeem his broken image by crossing the distance between them, catching Prince Luhan’s waist, bending them over so he can kiss him on the lips. 

“Do you have any special requests tonight my Princess?” Luhan rolls his eyes before pushing Sehun away, running towards the bed where one corner was already exposed. 

“You seemed to be very happy mingling with those Princesses who visited my castle today. Did you have fun putting their horses away?”

“Are you jealous?” Sehun slides into the bed right after Luhan, once again wrapping his arms around the smaller, turning them around so that Luhan lays perfectly flat on top of Sehun. “They wouldn’t want a poor boy like me anyway.”

“But I like you!” Luhan argues, his fists hitting Sehun’s pectorals. 

“I think you mean love, Young Master.” His face turns into a brilliant shade of crimson. Sehun doesn’t fight off the urge to kiss the apples of his cheeks. 

“Love has no prejudice! You can’t help who you fall for!” 

“Why do you love me, young master?”

“It feels like I’ve known you forever. It’s like, I’ve seen you before in a dream. But whenever I’m with you it feels like we can conquer everything in this world, just you and me.” Sehun runs his hands up and down the expanse of the young Prince’s back, trying to lull him to sleep. 

“I love you, too. Luhan. Sleep well my little princess.”

“Be quiet Oh Sehun. I love you too. My eternal Prince.”

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Luhan came barging into his house at twilight. Even though they’ve seen each other earlier in the day, Luhan insisted that Shixun should follow him into the clearing again. Luhan begged grandmother to let him go out in the dark. Shixun was scared that she would say no--he would have been really disappointed.

“Just bring him back safe and sound, Luhan.” She said with a toothy grin. Which is how Sehun found himself sitting down in the middle of the clearing where Luhan was currently taking off all his clothes. Such an audacity to be removing all his articles of clothing in front of a boy. But they were both boys, so…

“What’s this big surprise you have for me?” Shixun says, leaning back on the grass with his hands behind him. From his place on the ground, he can see Luhan’s flawless, pasty butt. He chuckles to himself. Cute.  
“It’s a secret, you’ll just have to see with your eyes, and not with your mouth Shixun. Okay so now, close your eyes and slowly count to ten.” Following the orders of the fox, Shixun slowly lets his eyes drift to a close, inhaling and exhaling with every breath that he takes. There’s rustling sounds, and a beam of light, he be does not dare to open his eyes. 

“Ten!” He shouts, opening his eyes as fast as he can. His wide smile drops from his face. Infront of him sits a fox with fur that burns like a thousand suns in the heavens above him. Behind him were nine tails, that flow with the summer breeze, and glimmer with the night moon. 

“Beautiful.” Shixun says, precariously standing up from his place on the grass. He reaches his hand out to pat the beautiful creature on the head. It responds be snuggling deeper into Shixun’s palm. It’s familiar. “Luhan?” 

The fox opens his eyes up, they’re the same eyes that Shixun’s used to staring into everyday for the past two months. “It really is you. You’re so…...magical and flawless. I don’t know how to describe someone like you.” 

His hand travels town Luhan’s head, over his back, and to his tails, taking in the softness of his shining fur. “I don’t think there’s anything that compares to you.” Shixun says, taking a seat in front of him. While sitting, Luhan shifts back into in between. Shixun quickly taking off his coat to wrap around Luhan’s body. He wouldn't want him to be cold now, does he.

Luhan kisses him on the cheek, and Shixun definitely doesn’t need his jacket now since he’s all warm on the inside. “Thank you. I never actually showed anyone, except my family of course, my true form.” They fall onto the grass, heads folded behind their head, looking up at the stars. 

“I feel honored.”

“You should. You’re really special, Shixun.” 

That night, Shixun and Luhan counted the stars in the sky, connecting them together to make their own constellation. 

Only one more day to go, and Shixun doesn’t want to think about it.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

It was one of those nights were Sehun took the graveyard shift. It’s only rarely he takes these shifts, but when he does he’s glad to have because these are coincidentally when something big happens. It’s as if his dad is trying to send him a message from the heavens that something is coming. And something does happen.

A child who looks about seven years old, is rushed through the doors of the ER. Sehun springs into action running down the hallway with his stethoscope at hand. He calms his breath and his heart down so he can get a clear sound of pulse deep in the child’s sternum.

“Heart rate normal with eighty- five bpm.” Sehun glances down at his wristwatch to make sure he’s correct.

“Give me details. What happened to him?” Sehun brushes the stray bangs away from the child’s face. Adorable. He was still convulsing, just a tad. The aftershocks, just like an earthquake.

“His grandparents say that he’s been throwing up a lot recently, Doctor. And he’s been getting headaches along with them. It’s been happening for a while, but this is the first time he’s had a seizure.”

“Grandparents? No parents? Where are they?”

“They died in a car crash, Doctor, four years ago.”

The nurse looks up at him with sad eyes, her face contorts into a frown, and Sehun doesn’t think his heart has been broken into a million pieces. The room suddenly felt colder than usual, his face paling from the news. Sehun glances down at the child with a sudden urge to hug him coursing through his veins. But he squares his shoulders, and steps back to ponder at the diagnostics his nurses have thrown at him. He grips the stethoscope tightly in between his now clammy his hands. 

Then it hit him, like a ton of bricks fell from the sky and into his heart. Making everything suddenly heavier than it should be.

His eyes widen in realization. This is the purpose he’s here. He takes a deep breath before he can speak, afraid that he would sound unprofessional if his voice is all choked up. Sehun looks around at his team before clearing his throat a second time.

Brain tumor, Sehun thinks. All the signs his father had before are showing up in this little boy. “Take him for an MRI scan. I’m- I’m” Sehun stutters for a moment before he composes himself, “I’m positive it’s the beginning signs of a brain tumor. I’ll go talk to his grandparents. I’ll be there in a few.”

 

Sehun watches as they roll the gurney away, with a child whose name he doesn’t know yet, but feels as if it’ll be the name he’ll be repeating endlessly later on. He stays rooted to the ground even after the gurney has disappeared into one of the rooms. He’s brought out of his thoughts as a warm hand claps his shoulder.

He sees Dr. Lu’s face so close to his, that he could see his eyelashes flutter every time he closes his eyes. Dr. Lu offers him a small smile, as he wraps an arm around Sehun’s shoulders. Despite him being quite a bit shorter than Sehun, he still leads them out into the waiting room where they have to break the earth shattering news to the child’s grandparents.

There’s no one else in the waiting room except an elderly couple, not older than sixty, looking up anxiously to the ceiling with a rosary in their hands.

Sehun coughs slightly, just to get their attention, and Luhan lets go of Sehun’s shoulders. It was comforting while it lasted, he thinks, but now it’s time to face the music.

 

“Are you the grandparents of…” Sehun stops as he waits for them to answer.

“Ziyu, yes. But he prefers to be called Chris after…” there’s a slight pause in the grandmother’s voice, “his parents died. He only lets us call him Ziyu.”

“Ah, yes. Chris, for the most part, is stable right now.” Chris’ grandparents release identical sighs of relief, and Sehun feels bad that he’s telling them. “But we sent him to get an MRI scan. With the symptoms you’ve told the nurses, Dr. Luhan here and I, have come with a conclusion that your grandson has a high possibility of a brain tumor.”

A feeling of deja vu strikes Sehun, as he watches the grandmother’s face pale, she’s lucky she has her husband to hold her up. Tears prickle behind Sehun’s eyes, yet he blinks them away rapidly, his pain shielded behind a façade . What kind of sick person does this to an angel, he thinks. He feels a warm comforting hand around his wrist. He turn his head slightly to see Luhan encouraging him to go on. Serhun let’s out a breath to calm his nerves.

“Dr. Oh, what can we do? How is this even possible?” The grandfather says, his voice cracking from the tears he tries to hold in.

“For now we must wait and see if our suspicions are true. After that we’ll admit him to one of the private rooms for closer inspection over the course of the next few days. Whenever you’re ready, the nurses’ station will always be open for you to sign the papers.” Sehun doesn’t know what to say anymore as he turns away from the scene of the crying grandparents.

It’s always heartbreaking to be receiving news like this. This is the only part of being a doctor that Sehun doesn’t like: the relaying of diagnostics to the family members, or to the relatives and friends of a patient.

For the first time today, Sehun smiles at Luhan, it’s not complete, it’s a barely there smile, because he knows from now on, there’s going to be a difficult case on his hands.

“Hey, don’t be like that. Once we get off, we can get breakfast, then we can snuggle at home and sleep the day away. How does that sound?” Luhan doesn’t let go of Sehun’s hand as they walk towards the MRI room. Luhan’s the only being that’s keeping Sehun from floating up to heaven right now.

Sehun wonders, if Luhan feels the same way too. 

They’ve been together for almost three years already, yet with their careers in the way, it’s hard to relax sometimes. And their schedules never meet. It’s a hassle sometimes, but when they’re at home cuddling with each other’s warmth it’s pays for the loss time.

They both know how to spice up their relationship up fleeting glances, their hidden touches, and  
their quick fucks in Sehun’s office sometimes, but that’s besides the point. (Although, Luhan does have a nurse uniform hidden in one of Sehun’s office closets from one of their..rendezvous.)

Dr. Lu Han is a pediatrician who specializes in pediatric surgery. They’ve both entered the hospital at the same time ; both completing their last year of residency when they were twenty five. They’ve clicked, from the moment Sehun first spilled his favorite green tea with java chip frappuccino on his new pressed white dress shirt.

(Luhan offered to wipe it off, and invited him over to his house to get it washed too.)

 

In this lifetime, Sehun tries to save lives, but really, all he wants to do, is give them a chance to live again.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun kisses Luhan again, hours before he has to leave. This time, he pulls Luhan in closer, his arms hugging Luhan tightly, wanting to have his warmth imprinted on his skin so he wouldn’t forget it as long as he lives. There’s nothing greater than the first love he’s experienced here.

It’s also heart breaking how he has to leave his first and last love here, far away from him. It’s going to be a summer he’ll never forget. Little does he know, the promise made, a month after he came here, and caught himself in the middle with a little mischievous fox named Luhan, will all come true. 

They do say that love is the most powerful force in the universe.

“Will we meet again?” Shixun whispers, arms still wrapped around Luhan’s tiny frame. The other has his head hidden in the junction of his neck and shoulder, trying to muffle out the small sounds he’s emitting from his lips. He doesn’t try to pull away, Shixun doesn’t want him to. 

“In every lifetime we exist, I’ll always love you, Shixun. In every lifetime that we’re alive, I’ll make sure to find you, and make you mine.” 

 

A final kiss to Luhan’s lips, and Sehun’s off. He walks down the road he’s taken thousands of times this whole summer. Wind starts to pick up, animals start to run into shelter. He wonders why this is happening. When he arrived in the clearing this morning he remembers the sun being out, no clouds in the sky, and the breeze only slightly. He’s never experienced a summer storm before. 

When he makes it to the edge of the forest, Shixun runs for his life. The rain hitting him harder with every drop that touches his skin. Drenched to the bone, Shixun realizes that the summer storm, is happening because of Luhan. He heard the heartbreaking cries that pierced through him with every step that he took away from him. 

Like a mantra, Shixun keeps on repeating to himself. “Someday, I’ll meet you again, Luhan.” 

The words I love you, sit in the air unspoken. He has many other lifetimes to say them anyway. Just not in this one where they’re too young to know what forever actually means.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun watches Luhan, who’s standing at the end of the aisle, with awe embedded into his eyes. How does someone create perfection like Luhan? How is this perfect being finally becoming his? It’s a dream come true, and Sehun’s glad he’s awake to see it materialize in front of his eyes.

He believes that he’s a lucky young man. Luhan came into his life with a bang, a broad spectrum of colors that fill one end to the other. There’s nothing that Sehun doesn’t love about Luhan: from the way he eats without restrictions to the way he clings to his arm when there’s a scary scene in a movie. He’s lucky to have found someone who would accept all of him, and give themselves wholly in return.

The wedding bells start to chime, and his eyes don’t leave the ones that have captivated him at first sight. He’s drowning in something named Luhan, but he’s breathing fine. Sehun believes that even without the help of the sun, Luhan is glowing. He’s been glowing ever since he’s met him.

He burns so brilliantly, but Sehun doesn’t know that he’s burning that way because of him.

When Luhan finally makes his way down the aisle, his heart swells with the accumulated happiness. This is the beginning of forever, and he’s glad that he’s spending it with someone who makes forever seem too short.

“All of me, I’m giving all of me.”

Give me all of you too, from your perfect imperfections. You’re my end and my beginning.

 

 

 

 

 

☾

 

 

 

 

 

The liquid gold that peeks from behind the curtains, easily make their way through, greeting the child of dawn with a hello. Its missing sibling gently rubs his eyes with the back of his fist, covering a long, stifling yawn with the other. There’s nothing better when serenity wakes him up from his deep slumber.

The smell of sex fills his nose, and memories of last night obscure his mind, painting a beautiful pink color over his once pale cheeks. Instead of lifting his head up to start a new day, he pushes his head deeper into that firm chest comforting his head. The easy strum of a heart beat calms his nerves down, and he’s ready to conquer everything again.

Luhan looks up at Sehun with a wide smile on his face. They’ve been through so much together. From the time they were trainees to the moment they’ve peacefully disbanded with EXO, they’ve made it through together. Fuck those who believe they were only fanservice that made SM richer, fuck those who abandoned the otp when they became more behind the scenes. But don’t they realize, they always wanted to be around each other, but they couldn’t? 

He had a chance to go back home and pick up life from there, but he didn’t want to. Luhan knew. He knew that there would be no one else like Sehun in this world, in any lifetime. He can’t imagine one where Sehun doesn’t exist, or one where they’re not together. Snuggling deeper into the warmth that his his husband of four years, Luhan kisses protruding collarbones, hoping to wake the younger up. Without warning, Sehun faces down to rub his nose against his husband’s. “Good morning, you’re very early today. What’s the big idea?”

Luhan climbs on top of Sehun, sitting on his six pack of abs. “Don’t you know what today is?” Sehun has an arm stewen across his eyes, chest exposed from the coldness of January. Luhan leans down to whisper in Sehun’s ear. “I think yesterday’s pre-anniversary, love session should ring a bell.”

“But Lu, we got married in December.” He’s taken aback, slapping Sehun’s pectorals as revenge.

“Not that anniversary! January eleventh anniversary.” Sehun shoots his eyes open, (after he removes his arm of course), bolting upwards, and catching Luhan before he falls back down on the bed. 

“Ah that anniversary. The beginning of Hunhan.” Kissing his husband’s forehead, Sehun’s still sleepy, even if he has the most ethereal being in his arms. 

“There’s a difference between Hunhan and Selu, though.” Sliding his hands up and leaving them tightly wounded around Sehun’s neck, Luhan repeatedly places chaste kisses on Sehun’s warm inviting lips. 

“What’s the difference.”

“Hunhan is to the stage, as Selu is to the bed naked. I’m kidding. Hunhan got lost on the way, but Selu found their destination, even though it was a roller coaster of emotions. Lost people, but gained the most important ones. With you, I’ll always find my way.” Luhan presses himself closer, wrapping his arms tighter around Sehun, legs caging him in. “We made it through.”

“ Happy Anniversary, Sehun-ah. In this lifetime, we found where we were headed.”

“Happy Anniversary too, baby.” Turning his head to kiss his cheek they’re both hit with flashbacks of their past. They see everything in color. The way Luhan was a prized virgin for a brothel in Japan. The way they’ve met each other on the streets of New York City, Sehun sending letters to Luhan every month. and of course Luhan the mischievous nine-tailed fox that loved to wrap his tail around Sehun. 

It’s all too much for them to take in. So many things happened at once. Luhan wants this to stop, but it's too beautiful to stop. In every lifetime, in every reincarnation, they were both there. Together. Although in some lifetimes, one was wasn’t there, or they’ve had the misfortune of not meeting each other, a memory passes through their brains, telling them ‘Sorry, the one you love isn’t in this life time, sometimes Fate and Destiny are cruel to lovers who have a love so powerful.’

After the sudden flashback, they pull away from each other, breathless. “Did you--”

“Yes.” Too much for words, too much to say, all they can do is take each other’s breath away. 

“I love you, Luhan. I really do. I feel like I don’t te--” Placing a bruising kiss onto his husband’s lips, Luhan shuts him up effectively. 

“I love you too.”

 

It’s crazy how two people find each other in a mess of bodies. Sometimes people just try to go through whole life looking for the one. But what exactly is the one. Maybe, it was just meant to be that Sehun and Luhan were to end up together, even if the boy and the fox never made that promise, they would eventually find themselves together somehow. 

 

-

__

_“Shixun! Shixun! Hurry up hurry up! The fireworks look beautiful up here!” Luhan jumps at the top, pointing up the to the sky as colors paint the dark canvas. Shixun struggles up to get there, not being used to the incline._

_“Are you afraid that people are going to see your tail? You still act like a child, when you have the body of a twenty year old.”_

_“Shixun! You shouldn’t be complaining, you’ve seen me grow up just like you.”_

_“You just--”_

_“Shixun, be quiet and watch the fireworks!” Luhan huffs, turning away from the love of his life who comes closer to him._

_“You know you can’t resist me.”_

__


End file.
